QRL ISC Preview - Round 18

There is plenty on the line for both of these teams this weekend when the eighth-placed Wynnum Manly Seagulls host the sixth-placed Mackay Cutters. A win here could go a long way to determining the make-up of the top six Intrust Super Cup clubs, with both sides fighting to stay in the hunt. This weekend, the Cutters will be without Michael Morgan in the halves after he was named in the North Queensland Cowboys Under 20s side, but they will welcome back Shannon Gallant in the fullback role. Zac Dalton and Michael Comerford have also been named in the extended squad. Last weekend, the Seagulls were well served by Brisbane Broncos utility Ben Te'o. While he will not be there to help spark the attack this weekend, the Seagulls will have another Bronco in their side with Mitchell Dodds named in the forwards. The two sides will also be playing off for the inaugural Woollam Constructions Cup. The Cup is contested between the three clubs sponsored by the company - the Central Comets, the Cutters and Wynnum Manly - where all play each other twice. Mackay have won two and lost one with a point's differential of + 18, while Wynnum Manly have won two and lost one, with a point's differential of + 37.

The Norths Devils are showing positive signs they have emerged from their slump - and while they are no longer in real contention to play finals football - they are determined to finish the year on a high. The Devils upset Burleigh last weekend and will want to make it three wins in a row against a plucky Sunshine Coast side. While team performances for the most part have been hard to celebrate, there have been a number of eye-catching individual performances from Devils players. This weekend sees Daniel Ogden play in his 50th Queensland Cup game (all for Norths) and he is also only three tries away from another milestone. Having scored 42 tries to date, he is close to drawing equal to the Norths Queensland Cup try-scoring record which is jointly held by Steven Bell and Kevin Carmichael. In team news, young gun Trent Richardson is poised to make his debut in the Intrust Super Cup, with Rohan Ahern a late withdrawal through injury. The Sunshine Coast has named an unchanged side from the one that battled gamely against Souths Logan last weekend. Fullback Hughie Stanley, who scored 14 of his team's 18 points last weekend, will be looking to continue his good form and cause a few headaches for the Norths defence.